The present invention relates to a therapeutic device for treating arthritis of the knee, including osteoarthritis of the knee.
Osteoarthritis of the knee commonly begins with cartilage degeneration secondary to varus deformity that is multifactorial and often age-related. Varus deformity, whether or not age related, disturbs the positional relationship between the femur and tibia, resulting in partial wear and gradual loss of elasticity of the cartilage between the femur and the tibia. This causes local pressure directly on the bone and consequent bony proliferation at the joint edge and deformity. Overwork may wear or partly wear the joint due to its inherent disorder and similar proliferative change at the joint edge and the induction of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis has been treated with an insole known as a sole plate. For an insole to function as a therapeutic device, the right or left side is higher than the opposite side.
For a patient with osteoarthritis of the knee caused by varus deformity, the lateral portion of the insole is higher than the medial portion, so as to raise the lateral sole and correct the varus deformity. By correcting the varus deformity, the unequal compression and tensile forces upon the knee are more evenly distributed. Although this more or less alleviates pain and other symptoms of arthritis of the knee, the level of treatment attained remains far less than clinically satisfactory.
Shortcomings of the conventional sole plate, in addition to the less than satisfactory therapeutic effect, include the following:
(1) The insole is difficult to use while wearing open-toed shoes, high-heels and after removing shoes at home.
(2) Because the insole is placed into a shoe when in use, it may become displaced causing a loss of therapeutic effect or the appearance of a reverse effect.
(3) The insole may cause a foul odor of the shoe or foot.
(4) Generally, a conventional insole is produced using a prepared mold and is often expensive. Because of its price, the user often continues to use the insole even if it wears somewhat, a condition that not only reduces its therapeutic effect but also risks the appearance of a reverse effect and aggravation of symptoms.
The present invention has been accomplished with the above in mind. The inventor has discovered a relatively inexpensive, therapeutic device for the treatment of arthritis of the knee that exerts a superior therapeutic effect on arthritis of the knee and can be used with and without shoes, and which is stable without the possibility of positional deviation and does not cause a foul odor of the shoe or foot.
The present invention relates to the treatment of arthritis of the knee by fixing the ankle while raising the lateral or medial sole. The inventor has now discovered that by combining ankle fixation and the prior practice of raising the lateral or medial sole, a synergistic improvement may be obtained in patients with arthritis of the knee.
In a preferred embodiment, the therapeutic device of the present invention comprises a stretchable band of a predetermined length, a flexible and resilient body installed in the longitudinal middle of said stretchable band, said flexible and resilient body being removably attached to said stretchable band whereby said flexible and resilient body becomes exchangeable, said flexible and resilient body having a portion of substantially triangular cross-section higher at one side than the other, the arrangement such that the higher portion of said flexible and resilient body is applied near the medial or lateral sole and the ankle can be fixed by being wrapped with said stretchable band. The flexible and resilient body may be made of any soft and bouncy material, preferably polyurethane sponge. In other embodiments of the invention, the flexible and resilient body is made from rubber, foam rubber, latex, elastic, or leather or other materials well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The stretchable band may be made of materials well known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as elastic. The opposing ends of the stretchable band may be secured by means well known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as hooks and eyes, Velcro, buttons, or snaps.
In another embodiment of the invention, the arrangement of the therapeutic device is such that the portion of the stretchable band that extends in one direction is wrapped somewhat more tightly than the portion of the stretchable band that extends in the other direction. By observing the improvement of the symptoms, the intensity of wrapping of the right or left side of the ankle is suitably adjusted so as to achieve optimum therapeutic effect. In yet another embodiment, the arthritis is osteoarthritis. It is pleasant and easy to use, and may be worn over a bare foot, under a sock, and under open-toed shoes, boots, slippers and high-heels.